Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 21 “The Holy Days Picture God’s Plan”

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Read Together: Before God created the universe, He planned to create human beings and make them a part of His family. He determined to give mankind the gift of free moral agency. In other words, He would give mankind the ability to make choices. The most important decision is choosing whether to obey God or not. But God recognized that under the influence of Satan, man would choose to follow his own heart and disobey His commands. And just as Satan had done, Adam and Eve rebelled against Him. Since then, all humanity has followed their example. But God is holy and wants nothing to do with sin. So, how could sinful mankind ever become a part of God’s holy family? The answer is amazing! Remember, God had an astonishing plan for the human race to be part of His spirit family, and He wants us to know about it. To help us understand each step in His master plan, He gave us the Holy Days. This is why we observe these days every year, beginning with the Passover. Learning about the Passover helps us to understand the first step in God’s plan for us – and all people who have ever lived.

Read Together:  1 Peter 1:18–20; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22; Romans 3:23; Psalm 5:4; Isaiah 59:2; Leviticus 23:1–37

Discuss:

  • Remind your child that it was God’s plan from the beginning to create a family. We are made in His image (Genesis 1:26–27), and we should grow in character to become like Christ (Ephesians 4:13–15).
  • Discuss with your child what it means to have free moral agency. Mankind has not been given the right to decide what is right and wrong. Only God has the wisdom to make that determination. We  choose whether or not we will do what is right as God defines it.
  • Help your child identify each of the Festivals and Holy Days mentioned in Leviticus 23. Briefly discuss how each Holy Day fits into God’s plan. Be sure to emphasize Leviticus 23:2 where God says, “… these are My feasts.”
  • Help your child understand that they are a part of God’s plan and that God is looking forward to them being born into His family.

Review Memorization:

1 Corinthians 5:7 “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.   For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

L2.21 Holy Days Picture God’s PlanDownload

Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 21 “God’s Plan of Salvation”

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Read Together: God designed a plan whereby He would have a family with whom He would share eternity. So He planned to create mankind in His image, place them in a beautiful environment, and create circumstances in which they would have to choose to do right or wrong. God knew that giving mankind free moral agency was the only way they could develop the godly character needed to live in peace and harmony forever. He also knew that it could result in sometimes choosing the wrong way, which would cause misery and lead to death. God did not want a family who was in turmoil and misery for all eternity, so before He created mankind He also designed a plan to save them from eternal death and bring them into His family. He gave us His Holy Days to teach us about His plan of salvation. God designed the Holy Days around the harvest seasons in Palestine, which include the spring, early summer, and fall. In the next few lessons, we will discuss the spring Holy Days, Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, and what they picture in God’s plan of salvation. We have the privilege to understand and be a part of this truly awesome plan.

Read Together: 1 Peter 1:19–20; Genesis 2:7–9, 15–17; Deuteronomy 16:16; Leviticus 23:1–4.

Discuss:

  • Discuss with your child what it means to have free moral agency. Mankind has not been given the right to determine what is right and wrong. We choose whether or not we will do what is right as God defines it.
  • Explain to your child that God made humans physical and not with spirit as He did the angels, so that if they refused to learn to obey Him, they would not have to live in unhappiness for all eternity. They would simply die a physical death like all humans do.  (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8).
  • Help your child understand that their ultimate destiny is to be born into the family of God as one of His children(Romans 8:14–16; Hebrews 2:6–8; Psalm 82:6).
  • Ask your child what they would like to do when they become a spirit being in God’s family. Share what you look forward to doing.

Review Memorization:

Romans 5:10  “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

L3.21 God’s Plan of SalvationDownload

Second Thoughts: Irremovable From His Truth

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by Thomas White, Student at LivingEd-Charlotte

Assembly by Dr. Douglas Winnail

Ambassador College Envoy, 1969

“Some people have estimated that over 200,000 people have gone through the Church of God over the years. … We had a lot of people that came into the Church, that went to Ambassador College, but they’re no longer around anywhere.” ~ Dr. Douglas Winnail

LivingEd-Charlotte Assembly: March 21, 2019

My mom used to tell me stories of Ambassador College. She would get excited as she did, her eyes coming alight with nostalgic reminiscence while she talked about the people she’d called her closest friends. But then she’d become a bit wistful, and wonder aloud where most of those friends were, because she didn’t know, not really. She would have, if they had stayed in God’s truth, but they didn’t. Most of them left, and of those, most never came back.

Dr. Douglas Winnail’s powerful assembly addressed that sobering fact, this week, as he asked us Living Education students where each of us will be in ten years. Of course, we all say we’ll still be here, carrying on the work, growing in Christ’s grace and knowledge. Everyone in Ambassador College probably said that too.

“Where will you be in five, or ten, or fifteen years? It’s exciting to be here together, but we need to think long-term.”

Dr. Winnail likened the not-quite-100 years since Mr. Herbert Armstrong founded the Worldwide Church of God to the 100 years Noah spent building the ark and warning people of the imminent flood. We’re used to cute illustrations of a wooden cruise ship boasting an onboard petting zoo, but in reality, that ark was enormous. One would need scores of uniquely skilled laborers to build it, especially without what we understand about technology. It had to have taken a great many people, but only eight boarded the Ark. Likewise, it took a lot of people to build the Church…but as Dr. Winnail posed, how many stayed with it? How many will?

“We need to be thinking beyond this world…and be prepared for what’s coming in the future. … Not everyone who comes to Church every Sabbath is going to be in the Kingdom of God. … Only those who do the will of God. ”

Dr. Winnail reminded us of the grim reality that according to Matthew 7:21-23, not everyone “in the Church” will be in the First Resurrection. There are those who are members of the Living Church of God, but not parts of Christ’s body. Members of a group can always cancel their membership, but body parts don’t just pop off of their own accord. We have to ask ourselves, “Am I a detachable member, or a permanent part?”, and we have to answer confidently in the direction of the latter, even knowing how hard Satan will try to tear us away. As Dr. Winnail addressed, we can’t take the cowardly option and disconnect ourselves from the world altogether; with God’s help, we have to brave it, while remaining irremovable from His truth. Staying the course, like building an ark, is a monumental task, but accepting that task leads to God’s protection from otherwise unbearable storms.

Books mentioned:

Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell

The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher

Thomas White headshot

Thomas White was one of the onsite Living Education students for the 2018-2019 semesters. He also has a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Thomas currently works as an Editorial Assistant for the Living Church of God. According to his wife, he eats pizza in entirely the wrong way.

Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 20 “God Confuses the Language”

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By Janth English and LivingEd Staff

Read Together: God came down to see what the people were doing at Babel. When He saw the city and the tower He was not pleased with what the people were doing. God saw how mankind was working together to rebel against Him, and decided to confuse their language so that the people could not communicate with each other. The word “Babel” means confusion, and there was plenty of confusion when suddenly the people working together could no longer understand one another. The work on the tower and the city soon stopped. God separated the people’s languages by families. People naturally came together with those they could understand, and began to move into the lands that God had given them. The tower no longer exists, but to this day, Babel remains a symbol of mankind’s rebellion against God.

Read Together: Genesis 11:5–9; Zephaniah 3:9

Discuss:

  • Discuss the meaning of Genesis 11:6 with your child. God has given mankind brilliant minds. We are to use our knowledge and abilities to serve and worship God.
  • Ask your child Imagine you are playing with your friend when suddenly they start saying things that don’t make any sense! You try to ask them to tell you what they mean, but you realize they can’t understand what you are saying either!”  This is what happened to everyone when God confused the languages at the tower of Babel.
  • Point out to your child that being able to communicate with others is an important part of life. God wants people to understand one another.  This is why He will restore a pure language to mankind in the Millennium (Zephaniah 3:9). This would be a good opportunity to talk about what it might be like in the Kingdom when everyone in the world can communicate with and understand everyone else.

Review Memorization:

Genesis 11:7 “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

L1.20 God Confuses the LanguageDownload
L1.17-L1.20 Nations and BabelDownload

Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 20 “Isaac Inherits the Promises”

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 Featured Passage: Genesis 23-26

Sarah died in Hebron at the age of 127 years old. God had allowed her to watch her son grow into a man. Shortly after Sarah died, Abraham sent his servant back to his own country to find a wife for Isaac. When the servant arrived at the well outside the city of Nahor, a young woman named Rebekah came to draw water. The servant had prayed asking that the young woman who gave him water to drink and offered to water his camels would be the one chosen to be Isaac’s wife. Rebekah did exactly that. The servant found out that Rebekah was the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother Nahor. Rebekah agreed to leave her family, go to Canaan, and marry a man she had never met. Isaac was forty years old when he and Rebekah were married. Abraham died at 175 years of age and lived to see the birth of Isaac’s sons. This was further evidence that God’s promise of giving Abraham many descendants would be fulfilled. After Abraham died, God spoke to Isaac and made the same promises to him that He had made to Abraham. God said that He would give all the land of Canaan to Isaac’s descendants, and that they would be as numerous as the stars in heaven. God promised that in Isaac’s seed, all the nations would be blessed.

Discuss:

  • Point out to your child that Abraham had seven other sons who are named in the Scriptures – Ishmael (from Hagar), and Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah (from Keturah).  However, Isaac was the son of promise.
  • Discuss with your son or daughter the qualities the servant was looking for in a wife for Isaac by seeing if she would give him water and offer to water his camels.
  • Talk to your child about the blessing Rebekah’s family gave her. How does her blessing relate to the promises God gave to Abraham and his descendants?
  • Ask your child how they think Isaac may have felt when God appeared to him personally. Would that be very encouraging for Isaac?

Memory Challenge:

Hebrews 11:17–18  “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”

L2.20 Isaac InheritsDownload
L2.17-L2.20 Abram to AbrahamDownload

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 20 “Joshua Becomes the Leader of Israel”

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By Janth English and LivingEd Staff

Read Together: Before his death, one of Moses’ final duties was to appoint Israel’s next leader. God had chosen Joshua, the son of Nun. Joshua had been at Moses’ side from the time the Israelites left Egypt. He was the first general who led Israel into war. He was also with the seventy elders who saw God and ate before Him. Joshua was with Moses on the mountain for forty days when he received the Ten Commandments from God. Joshua and Caleb were the only spies who brought back a good report of the promised land and tried to convince the others to go in and take it. He had been thoroughly trained, having served Moses for forty years, so God chose him to lead the nation after Moses. Joshua must have felt the burden of leading this nation with millions of people, but Moses encouraged him to be strong and courageous. Moses died on Mt. Nebo and was buried by God. After Moses’ death, God spoke to Joshua, letting him know that He was with him. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. The rest of the story of Joshua – his leadership, exploits, bravery, and commitment —  is for another lesson.

Read Together:  Numbers 27:18–23; Exodus 17:9–10, 13; 24:9–13; 32:15–17; 33:11; Numbers 14:6–10; Deuteronomy 31:7–8; 34:1–12; Joshua 1:1–11

Discuss:

  • Ask your child what is their favorite story about Joshua. Why?
  • Talk about what might be some reasons that God did not reveal to us exactly where He buried Moses.
  • Discuss with your child how Joshua must have felt being personally encouraged by God. Remind your son or daughter that God speaks to us through His word, the Bible.
  • Express to your child that God wants each of us to be strong and courageous in our daily lives as we represent Him to the world. Why do we need to be strong and courageous?
  • Point out to your child that God trained Joshua from a young age to work in His service. Remind  your child that if they are willing to do God’s will, they too can be used mightily by God.

Review Memorization:Deuteronomy 30:15-16  “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.”

L3.20 God Appoints JoshuaDownload
L3.17-L3.20 Israel WanderingsDownload

Second Thoughts: Internal Organs Are Important Too!

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by Thomas White, student at LivingEd-Charlotte

“…I think of a body of believers, when I think about the Church. …the body of believers is made up of so many different kinds of people, from all different kinds of backgrounds, all different kinds of races, all different kinds of experiences, different cultural backgrounds, and different talents.” ~ Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden

Student Assembly, March 14, 2019.

A novel by Robert Heinlein includes a quote that ends with “Specialization is for insects,” claiming that every human being should be able to do basically everything under the sun. That’s all well and good if you’re a character in a novel with as many inexplicable talents and abilities as the author can write for you, but in real life, no human being can do everything. The Apostle Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 12, where he informs us that God’s Church is a body, and that each member of it makes up a separate and unique, yet unified and integral, part of that body. For this week’s assembly, Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden informed us of the absolutely staggering amount of work that goes into maintaining and operating that body, from the ins and outs of making sure Sabbath Services across the world have halls to be held in, to the intricacies of creating a professional telecast and finding television stations on which to show it. All of this is done by an immense amount of people…and most of these people work almost entirely “behind the curtain.”

“…the body needs a head, the body needs a foot. The body needs an eye, the body needs an ear. We preach the gospel, we feed the flock, and all those little things that happen here, all of us together, we’re a part of that.”

All these unseen—yet hugely important—things, being done by all these unseen—yet absolutely invaluable—people, caused a thought to occur to me. Thanks to Paul’s inspired words, we understand that some members of Christ’s body are eyes, some are ears, some are hands, and some are feet. Obviously, all these parts are on the outside of the body – we don’t need to get X-rayed to see that we have eyes, ears, hands, and feet. But what if you’re none of the above? After all, a body is a lot more than just what the mirror shows. What if you’re a pancreas? A thyroid gland? A spleen? These parts aren’t visible—unless something really, really bad just happened to you—but…well, try spending a day without your thyroid. Actually, please don’t. It will not go well.

“…the members in the Church who are not in charge have their part to play. And it’s not just to ‘pay and pray.’ … It’s way more than that.”

You see where I’m going with this, and Mr. Ruddlesden went there first, as he explained that, for example, though each Tomorrow’s World telecast may only be presented by one man, there are perhaps dozens of people that are never shown, but without whom that telecast would never be produced. Those people aren’t parts of the body’s face; they’re internal organs, and you don’t need to be a doctor to know that a body needs internal organs. The telecast needs more than presenters. The magazine needs more than writers. The Church needs more than people in Charlotte. Preaching the gospel and feeding the flock takes every single one of us. Whether it’s Mr. Weston himself teaching doctrine to the members or the teenager in a tiny congregation being a light and example to everyone they meet, both contribute to the feeding and preaching in their own special ways using their own particular talents. We’ll always need faces, but internal organs are important, too.

Thomas White headshot

Thomas White was one of the onsite Living Education students for the 2018-2019 semesters. He also has a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Thomas currently works as an Editorial Assistant for the Living Church of God. According to his wife, he eats pizza in entirely the wrong way.

Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 19 “Abraham and Isaac Are Tested”

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By Janth English

Read Together:  Abraham and Sarah watched and guided Isaac as he grew into a young man. Abraham taught Isaac about God and told him about the promises He had made. Then, when Isaac was still a young man, God told Abraham to take him to the land of Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice! After hearing God’s instruction, Abraham dutifully arose the next morning, prepared for the journey, and headed toward the mountain with Isaac and two of his servants. It took them three days to reach the place where Isaac was to be offered. One can only imagine how difficult this journey was for Abraham. Nevertheless, He was willing to obey God’s command. Remember, God had promised that He would give many descendants to Abraham, and Isaac was the son who was miraculously born to Abraham and Sarah to bring about that promise. He knew that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead, if necessary, to keep His promise. Abraham and Isaac went up to the top of the mountain where Isaac allowed himself to be bound. Then Abraham laid his son on the wood of the altar to become the offering. Abraham raised the knife to slay his son when God stopped him. God then knew without any doubt that Abraham feared Him, trusted Him and loved Him more than anything or anyone – even his own son. God blessed Abraham for his faith and obedience and gave him even greater promises than before! God told him that all the people on earth would be blessed because of Abraham’s obedience!

Read Together:  Genesis 18:17–19; 22:1–18; Hebrews 11:17–19

Discuss:

  • Point out some great examples in the Bible of young people seeking God’s will and obeying Him. Isaac is one of them. Who else can you remember?
  • Discuss with your child some examples in Abraham’s life that validate why he is called the father of the faithful (Romans 4:16).
  • Help your child think about how difficult it would be to sacrifice your child or to be the person who is sacrificed. Ask them to imagine what it would have been like to be Isaac. Isaac could have run away, but instead he followed his father’s instruction, just as Abraham was following God’s instruction. This would have taken great courage and faith on the part of Isaac toward his father!
  • Explain to your child how Abraham and Isaac pictured the Father and Jesus Christ during their test. Abraham was a type of the Father who offered His Son, and Isaac pictured Christ, who willingly laid down His life (John 10:17–18).

Review Memorization:

Hebrews 11:17–18 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”

L2.19 Abram testedDownload

Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 19 “Moses Forewarns Israel”

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By Janth English

Read Together: The events at Kadesh marked a crucial point in Moses’ life. First, Moses’ sister Miriam died there. Next came a day that would change Moses’ future. Once again, the people were complaining about their lack of water, forgetting how God had provided for their needs again and again. All they needed to do was to turn to God and ask Him for His help. Moses went to God and asked Him to provide the water they needed. God patiently gave Moses and Aaron instructions, telling them exactly how to provide for the people. He told Moses to speak to the rock and water would flow from it. Moses, however, lost his temper. He was so angry at the Israelites that he hit the rock with his rod. In fact, he hit it twice! God made water start miraculously pouring out of the rock, providing for the needs of the thirsty people. But He was very displeased with Moses. According to God, Moses and Aaron did not show honor and respect to Him. Moses had allowed his anger to guide his actions instead of trusting God’s hand and obeying Him as He had instructed .

God does not play favorites, and this act of disobedience on the part of Moses and Aaron in front of all the people was just as wrong as the disobedience shown by others. Because they disobeyed God, Moses and Aaron were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. However, before he died, Moses reminded the people of Israel to never forget the laws of their God. He encouraged them, saying that if they obeyed, God would bless their families, give rain in its season, increase their crops, increase their livestock, protect them from their enemies, and give them peace. However, if they disobeyed, they would be cursed. The weather would be harsh, the earth would not yield its crops, disease would cling to the people, their enemies would pursue them and overtake them, and they would eventually become slaves again. God gave Israel a clear choice between living the way that brings life and peace, or the way that brings curses and death. He gives us the same choice.

Read Together:  Numbers 20:1–13, 23–29; 27:12–14; Deuteronomy 28:1–37; 30:1–3, 15–20.

Discuss:

  • Discuss with your child Moses’ and Aaron’s punishment for disobeying God. Was this an unfair punishment?
  • Even though God punished Moses and Aaron for their disobedience, God forgave them. We know that Moses will have a high position in the Kingdom. Explain the fact that even though God forgives us, sin still has consequences.
  • Explain to your child that there are only two ways to live, God’s way and man’s way. God’s way is the only way that brings true joy, peace, and happiness. This may be a good opportunity to discuss the difference between the world today (governed by man) and the Kingdom of God (governed by God).
  • Point out to your child that even when we sin, God offers us forgiveness when we repent and turn to Him.

Review Memorization.

Deuteronomy 30:15–16 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.”

L3.19 Moses Warns IsraelDownload

Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 19 “The Tower of Babel”

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By Janth English

Read Together: Babel, the first city that Nimrod built, was the beginning of his kingdom. The people all spoke the same language, so it was easy for them to share ideas and work together. But instead of working together for good, they began to rebel against God. Even though God had commanded them to fill the earth with their families, the people refused. With Nimrod as the leader, the people built a huge tower in the city of Babel. The city they built, with its towering fortress, made the people very proud of themselves and what they had done. They were so proud that they believed they could defy God. But the people did not know the amazing miracle that would happen next.

Read Together:  Genesis 10:9–10; 11:1–4

Discuss:

  • Explain to your child that Noah and Shem could tell the people about the flood and what happened before the flood. (According to the genealogies contained in the Bible, they were still alive during the time that Nimrod built Babel.)
  • The people knew what they were doing was wrong. Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5), and he would have continued to preach after the flood. Explain to your son or daughter that the people were being disobedient and wanted to do things their own way, regardless of what God said.
  • Help your child to understand that there is never a time when we can rebel against God. Still, when we do something wrong, we can ask God to forgive us, and He will. God loves us, and we can rely on Him to provide for us and protect us.

Review Memorization.

Genesis 11:4 “Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’

L1.19 Tower of BabelDownload